Comparative Writing_Curriculum_Bridge I
Comparative Writing (Bridge I)
(with adaptations for Bridge Prep-BP)
FastTRAC Bridge Project
Designer: George Schooley
Page
Contents
1
Table of Contents
2
Module Planning Map (Bridge I)
3-4
Module Benchmarks (Bridge I)
5-6
Module Overview (Bridge I)
7-8
9
Daily Planning Calendar (Bridge I)
Daily Planning Calendar (Bridge Prep)
George Schooley_FastTRAC Bridge Project_2011 1
Comparative Writing_Curriculum_Bridge I
Unit Plan Comparative Writing (Bridge I)
Activity Product 3
*Do as many
follow up
exercises from
textbook as you Activity Product 4
deem necessary to* Distribute pictures
review this form. of a department from
Activity Product 2
*Make Venn Diagram
comparing two sports
and use that to make
sentences using
comparative.
Section Product
the workplace showing
employees from now
and from a few years
1 beforehand to create
discussion of changes.
*Students will use
comparative forms
Activity Product 1
to describe before
* Use article in Grammar
and after graphs
in Context , p. 344, to
from their
review comparatives.
Have Ss compare
workplace.
Activity Product 5
* Distribute graphs of
a department’s
production now and
from a few years
beforehand to create
discussion of changes.
Activity Product 2
*Given a compare/
contrast prompt,
students use a
graphic organizer
for pre-writing and Activity Product 3
Activity Product 2
Activity Product 1
* Given a compare/
write a 4-5
Activity Product 1
* Students list what
*Students will
paragraph essay.
contrast prompt, Ss
they
like
better
about
* Have students make
review a list of
create a graphic
one workplace over
a Venn Diagram to
common compare/
organizer, fill it in
describe differences
another and what
contrast prompts
and similarities
with pre-writing
they like less about
found on GED
Section Product 2 the
between two
Section Product 3 ideas, and write a
other workplace.
practice writing
workplaces they
Final Product:
*High: Students write
4-5 paragraph
*Students will
choose.
tests.
report in essay format
*Students will write a
essay.
individually write and
explaining why they like
five paragraph essay
edit
their
own
GED
one workplace over
based on GED testing
practice writing test
another. Low: Students
using the prompt
write a paragraph
models using a compare
chosen
in previous
explaining why they like
contrast testing
one workplace over
Activity product.
American football to
Soccer.
another.
George Schooley_FastTRAC Bridge Project_2011
prompt/question.
2
Comparative Writing_Curriculum_Bridge I
Module Benchmarks for Comparative Writing (Bridge I)
SCANS Skill Focus:
Final Module Product (Description): Students will write a five paragraph essay responding to a test prompt to practice GED essay test
taking skills and will use comparative forms to complete the practice test.
GED Benchmarks (Content & Strategies) in bold.
Section Product:
Reading
Conversation
Writing
Work/Soft Skills
Technology
*Grammar Focus
 Learners will produce… *Grammar Focus *Grammar Focus
 Students will use
 Students will read  Students will discuss  Students will analyze  Students will read

comparative forms to
an article
differences and
and interpret graphs graphs to identify
describe before and
comparing sports
changes in
from their workplace. changes and trends in
after pictures and graphs in their countries
demographics and
the workplace.
 Students will use
from their workplace.
to those of the
production at their
comparative and
USA.
workplace.
superlative forms to
 Students will
 Students will discuss compare photos and
identify
trends they see in
graphs.
comparative forms practice graphs from
in article and
a GED textbook.
analyze how they
are used.
 Students will write a
 Students will read  Students will discuss  Students will write
 Students will identify 
paragraph describing
and edit each
workplaces from
paragraphs
good manufacturing
comparing their
other’s essays.
their past and
comparing their
or production
workplace to another
compare them to
workplace to another. practices in the
based on their interests
their current
workplace.
as in their previous
workplace.
workplace or a
workplace in their
country of origin.
George Schooley_FastTRAC Bridge Project_2011
3
Section Product:
Reading
Conversation
 Learners will produce… *Grammar Focus *Grammar Focus
 Student will review
 Students will read  Students will use
various GED practice
test prompts
comparatives to
writing prompts to make identifying key
address prompt.
up their own to answer
elements to
in a five paragraph
address.
essay.
George Schooley_FastTRAC Bridge Project_2011
Comparative Writing_Curriculum_Bridge I
Work/Soft Skills
Technology
Writing
*Grammar Focus
 Students will make a  Students will identify
plan using an idea
and use test taking
graphic to address
strategies in writing
test prompt.
and essay tests.
 Students will write an
essay answering test
prompt using intro.,
main idea, supporting
details and
conclusion.
4

Comparative Writing_Curriculum_Bridge I
Learning Module Overview (Bridge I)
Module Title: Comparative Writing CASAS or TABE Forn/Level: Adv. ESL/Inter. ABE Module Duration: _______
SCANS Skill Focus: ____________________________________________________________________
Section Product 1 (S1)
Description:
Students will use comparative
forms to describe before and after
graphs from their workplace.
Materials:
Comparing Graphs Worksheet
(S1)
Materials
 Grammar Practice:
Comparatives (S1-A1,
A3)Grammar in Context,
pp. 344-350
 The Sport of Comparing
(S1-A2) –Bridge I & Low
 Before and After Photos
(S1-A4)
Activity Product 1 (S1-A1) Activity Product 2 (S1-A2) Activity Product 3 (S1-A3)
Use article in Grammar in
Make Venn Diagram comparing Do as many follow up exercises
Context , p. 344, to review
two sports and use that to make from textbook as you deem
comparatives. Have Ss compare sentences using comparative.
necessary to review this form.
American football to Soccer.
Activity Product 4 (S1-A4) Activity Product 5 (S1-A5) Activity Product 6 (S1-A6)
Distribute pictures of a
department from the workplace
showing employees from now
and from a few years beforehand
 FY11 On-Time Shipments to to create discussion of changes.
Distribute graphs of a
department’s production now and
from the previous year to create
discussion of changes.
Hospitals Graph (S1-A5a)
 FY10 On-Time Shipments to
Hospitals Graph (S1-A5b)
 Comparing Graphs
Worksheet (S1)
Section Product 2 (S2)
Materials
Description:
 Comparing Workplaces
High: Students will write report
(S2-A1) Bridge I & Low
in essay format (with

Comparing Workplaces
introduction, details, &
conclusion) explaining why they Details (S2-A2)
Activity Product 1 (S2-A1) Activity Product 2 (S2-A2) Activity Product 3 (S2-A3)
Have students make a Venn
Diagram to describe differences
and similarities between two
workplaces they choose.
like one workplace over another.  Comparing Workplaces
Activity
Low: Students write a paragraph Writing (S3) Bridge I & Low
(with a topic sentence) explaining
why they like one workplace over
another.
Product 4 (S2-A4) Activity Product 5 (S2-A5) Activity Product 6 (S2-A6)
Materials:
Comparing Workplaces Writing
(S3) Bridge I & Low
George Schooley_FastTRAC Bridge Project_2011
Students list what they like better
about one workplace over another
and what they like less about the
other workplace.
5
Comparative Writing_Curriculum_Bridge I
Section Product 3 (S3)
Description:
Students will individually write and
edit their own GED practice writing
test using the prompt chosen in
previous Activity product.
Materials
 Practice Writing an Essay
Part I (S3-A2)
 Practice Writing an Essay
Part I (S3-A3)
Activity Product 4 S3-A1) Activity Product 5 (S3-A2) Activity Product 6 (S3-A3)
Students will review a list of
Given a common
common compare/contrast prompts compare/contrast prompt,
found on GED practice writing tests. students will use a graphic
Given a common
compare/contrast prompt,
students will create a graphic
organizer for pre-writing and then organizer, fill it in with their prewrite a 4-5 paragraph essay.
writing ideas, and write a 4-5
paragraph essay.
Materials:
NA
Activity Product 4 (S3-A4) Activity Product 5 (S3-A5) Activity Product 6 (S3-A6)
Final Product (FP)
Materials
Students will write a five  GED Practice Writing,
Composition Test (FP)
paragraph essay based on
GED testing models using a
compare contrast testing
prompt/question .
Final Product Description
Distribute another GED writing practice test prompt. Have Ss make a plan based on
previous modeling. If you want you can have students make their own prompts based
on previous comparisons of their workplace to a previous one. In this situation have
students come up with their own prompts in groups. Write them on board and have
class choose one, two or three to use in their own practice tests.
George Schooley_FastTRAC Bridge Project_2011
6
Comparative Writing_Curriculum_Bridge I
Comparatives Writing Unit Planning Calendar (Bridge I)
Hour Plan
by
Hour
1
Discuss differences between American football and soccer. Also discuss what sports are popular
in students’ countries.
2
3
4
5
6
Draw a Venn Diagram on the board labeling one side American football and the other soccer. Use
that to facilitate whole class discussion and to visually introduce the concept of comparing. Write
sentences on board to represent students’ comparisons. Use these sentences to introduce the
grammatical structure of comparatives.
Use worksheet, “The Sport of Comparing (S1-A1),” to make comparisons between two sports, one
from students’ countries and one from the US. Have Ss complete this in pairs.
Read article in textbook, Grammar in Context, p. 344. (I reviewed superlatives and equalities in
this unit too.) Have students notice how comparatives are used and go over content and the
textbooks overview of this structure. Have students compare the ideas they had previous to
reading the article to what the article said.
Do as many of the exercises as deemed necessary for review to act as a focused practice for this
structure.
Distribute one picture of the students’ current workplaces’ staff and one past photo and have
students compare the two photos noticing any changes in small groups using “Before and After
Photos (S1-A2).”
7
Write comparisons on board, one from each group. Point out how students used comparative
structures to express these differences. Distribute graphs comparing workplace production from
last year and this year. Have students work in same small groups to compare these. Have students
write conclusions on board and discuss them and correct them as a whole class using “Comparing
Graphs worksheet (S1-A3).”
8
Have students list types of workplaces from around the world and those that they have worked in.
Have pairs of students share lists and come up with five that would be interesting to compare to
their present workplace using “Comparing Workplaces (S2-A1).”
9
Have students make a Venn Diagram to describe differences and similarities between the two
workplaces they choose after freewriting to describe each.
10
Have students work to come up with a main idea/general statement describing this diagram and
the supporting details from the Venn Diagram.
11
Have students write a five paragraph essay using diagram along with a prepared outline or writing
plan.
12
Have students edit each others’ work in small groups using editing worksheet.
13
Have Ss analyze a compare and contrast prompt from GED practice test. Model using a bubble
idea graphic to plan an answer to prompt. Show how to make groupings to make paragraphs.
Write a topic sentence for each group. Use “Practice Writing Essay, Part I (S3-A1).”
George Schooley_FastTRAC Bridge Project_2011 7
Comparative Writing_Curriculum_Bridge I
Hour Plan
by
Hour
14
Have Ss analyze another compare and contrast prompt from GED practice test. Have Ss work in
pairs to make their own bubble ideagraphs on their own. Use “Practice Writing Essay, Part II (S3A2).”
15
I used the chapter, “Gathering Your Ideas,” in Contemporary’s GED Exercise Book: Language
Arts, Writing, pp. 78-83, for extra practice and guidance.
16
Distribute another GED writing practice test prompt. Have Ss make a plan based on previous
modeling. If you want you can have students make their own prompts based on previous
comparisons of their workplace to a previous one. In this situation have students come up with
their own prompts in groups. Write them on board and have class choose one, two or three to use
in their own practice tests.
George Schooley_FastTRAC Bridge Project_2011 8
Comparative Writing_Curriculum_Bridge I
Comparatives Writing Practice Unit Planning Calendar (Bridge Prep)
Hour Plan
by
Hour
1
Discuss what sports they like to watch on TV, what sports they play in their countries and what
they know about the Olympics.
2
Compare two sports discussed above using a Venn Diagram. Introduce comparatives using
Azar’s, “Basic English Grammar,” pp. 454 – 469.
3
Read article from internet, “Things you should know about the Olympics,” by Matthew Wagner.
Have students notice how comparatives are used and go over content and the textbooks overview
of this structure. Have students compare the ideas they had previous to reading the article to what
the article said.
4
Do as many of the exercises as deemed necessary for review to act as a focused practice for this
structure.
5
Distribute one picture of the students’ current workplaces’ staff and one past photo and have
students compare the two photos noticing any changes in small groups.
6
Write comparisons on board, one from each group. Point out how students used comparative
structures to express these differences.
7
Have students list types of workplaces from around the world and those that they have worked in.
Have students as a whole class share lists and come up with five that would be interesting to
compare to their present workplace.
8
9
Have students make a Venn Diagram to describe differences and similarities between the two
workplaces they choose after making a list of what advantages and disadvantages to both
workplaces.
Have students work to come up with a main idea/general statement describing this diagram.
10
Have students write a paragraph with a topic sentence and a comparison of two workplaces.
11
Have students edit each others’ work in small groups using editing worksheet.
12
Have Ss analyze a compare and contrast prompt from GED practice test. Model using a bubble
idea graphic to plan an answer to prompt. Show how to make groupings to make paragraphs.
Write a topic sentence for each group.
Distribute another GED writing practice test prompt. Have Ss make a plan based on previous
modeling.
13
George Schooley_FastTRAC Bridge Project_2011 9